The network morning shows this year haven't always been tough questioners with the presidential candidates. But it bothered me on Wednesday when ABC's Good Morning America interviewed John McCain (the day before the New York Times unleashed its underbaked "romantic" hints-and-whispers story), and co-host Robin Roberts dragged out the old-age issue against McCain using late-night comedians to mock him. Can you imagine Hillary Clinton sitting still for that tactic?
ROBERTS: You brought up a number of good points in your speech last night. And it was well received. You got a lot of applause when you said you are clearly the most experienced, as you put it. You're 71. You would be 72 on Election Day and the late night comics have taken note of your age as well. I want to get your reaction to this.
JAY LENO (clip): Do you realize when Castro came to power in 1959, John McCain was only 61 years old?
CONAN O'BRIEN (clip): Senator John McCain is doing very well. Senator John McCain has unveiled a new campaign slogan. Ready to lead America into the 21st century. Yeah. Yeah. And this is a lot better than his old slogan. I've been around since the 19th century. This is an improvement.
ROBERTS: Senator McCain, when you hear comments like that, and you laugh along. Like I said, watching your speech last night, you said you are clearly the most experienced, but are you concerned at all? There are some people looking at your age as a serious issue.
MCCAIN: Well, just watch me campaign. As I said in the beginning of this, I could out campaign anybody. And I can and I will. And take a look at the vigor, and take a look at my vision for the future of this country...
McCain may have a sense of humor about this, but if ABC isn't going to try this tactic with Democrats, then it's a mocking double standard. Even if viewers don't object to this kind of seltzer-bottle interview, media critics can still object that ABC has such a low opinion of its viewers' attention span that it stoops to sprucing up its hard-news interviews with Leno jokes.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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Isn't it illegal to
February 23, 2008 - 19:07 ET by kgIsn't it illegal to discriminate against age? Or does that pertain only to employment.
Fear The Seniors
February 23, 2008 - 19:21 ET by Intellectual HonestyWhile I, like many conservatives am not the biggest McCain fan this tact will not please the most reliable voting block - the 60+ demographic. The media is so predictable to have already started this line of attack right out of the box. Technically it's before McCain has even secured the nomination.
That being said McCain better work on a better response in the vein of Reagan's "I won't exploit the youth of my opponent" than what he gave.
Right, IH.... look what
February 23, 2008 - 19:27 ET by motherbeltRight, IH.... look what happened to Gary Hart when he challenged the press to follow him around....they caught him on the "Monkey Business" with a woman not his wife on his lap.
McCain had better not throw down that gauntlet, or they will be lying in wait for any tiny letdown: a nodding off, a weary look such as they caught on Clinton's face, a minor stumble or even slightly off-kilter step....anything they can exploit to bring in the "age factor."
delete
February 23, 2008 - 19:31 ET by motherbeltdelete
Hey I didn't pick John McCain nor force him to run
February 23, 2008 - 20:23 ET by Lame CherryNot going to complain one bit about the MSM using McCain's age against him. The people responsible are Mike Huckabee and all the dolts in the primaries who did not vote for Fred Thompson, Alan Keyes or Mitt Romney.
Take a bow you liberal patricians. You have given the nomination to an old, bad tempered bully who sold out to George Soros.
If you pick a mule with a game leg, blind eye and half crazy, don't expect people to comment on it.
The key in this is how does one put a Vice President on this lame ticket to make up for all the negatives of John McCain?????
I have stated Lynn Cheney is the key as she brings in the female and homosexual vote of 5% in the general from the Democrats. She is reasonably Conservative, experienced, tough and is able to control hot head McCain.
John McCain and his patricians created this mess and if they do not listen to Conservatives they are going to loose in a landslide.
I as one Conservative am not going off that cliff with them. They either come back to where we can defend them and gain them victory or they are loosing on their own as I refuse to get on this pony ride into the abyss. I do not support John McCain as the ticket now stands with only liberal him.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
As in most elections
February 23, 2008 - 20:30 ET by MidAmericaAs in most elections the democrats run against the Republicans and the Republicans have to run against the media.
Laugh with 'em
February 24, 2008 - 00:39 ET by nkviking75John McCain may have to live with this line of "humor" until Jan. 20, 2017. His big challenge is to keep it from getting under his notoriously thin skin. Reagan joked right along when he was president. That's probably McCain's best strategy. That, and a vigorous presidency if he's elected.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.